CBK Pairs KSh 40Bn Bond Reopening With Another Switch Auction in April Programme
The Central Bank of Kenya has launched a KSh 60Bn borrowing programme for April, combining a KSh 40Bn bond reopening with a KSh 20Bn switch auction. The reopening covers FXD1/2020/015 (8.9 years to maturity, 12.756% coupon) and FXD1/2018/025 (17.3 years, 13.400% coupon), with the auction on 1 April. The switch targets holders of FXD1/2016/010, maturing August 2026, offering an exchange into FXD1/2018/015 due May 2033. It is the fifth bond switch in Kenya's history and the third in 2026. Net borrowing through reopenings has reached KSh 687.50Bn across 13 auctions since July 2025.
Kakuzi Returns to Profit on KSh 1.07 Bn on Avocado, Macadamia Haul
Kakuzi Plc posted a pre-tax profit of KSh 568.4 Mn for FY2025 after a KSh 166.7 Mn loss in FY2024. Revenue rose 12% to KSh 5.37 Bn, the second-highest in the company's 32-year record. Avocado profit nearly doubled to KSh 709 Mn on 23% higher production despite lower European prices. Macadamia surged to KSh 365 Mn from KSh 69 Mn on a 30% kernel price recovery. Tea swung to a KSh 53 Mn loss. Blueberries turned profitable for the first time. Selling costs surged 47% on Red Sea disruptions, compressing the pre-tax margin to 10.6%. Dividend doubled to KSh 16.Sidian Bank Profit Jumps 500% to KSh 1.73 Bn as Public Sector Deposits Reshape Balance Sheet
Sidian Bank posted a sixfold increase in profit after tax to KSh 1.73 Bn for the year ended 31 December 2025, up from KSh 287 Mn, the strongest result in the lender's 40-year history. Total assets grew 50.8% to KSh 90.80 Bn, driven by a 62.9% surge in customer deposits to KSh 72.30 Bn from public sector mandates including Nairobi County, the Social Health Authority, the housing levy, Kenya Railways, and KEMSA. Government securities holdings doubled to KSh 49.05 Bn. The CBK reclassified Sidian from Tier 3 to Tier 2 in September 2025.Diamond Trust Bank's Profit Tops KSh 10 Bn as Deposits Cross Half a Trillion
Diamond Trust Bank Kenya's Group profit surpassed KSh 10 Bn for the first time, rising 21.4% to KSh 10.7 Bn for the year ended 31 December 2025. The milestone was driven by a 16.3% drop in funding costs that lifted net interest income 24.1% to KSh 34.9 Bn. Customer deposits crossed the half-trillion threshold at KSh 509.1 Bn. The Group completed the disposal of its Burundi subsidiary, booking a KSh 533 Mn loss from discontinued operations. The board proposed a final dividend of KSh 9.00 per share, up 28.6% from KSh 7.00.NSE Loses KSh 96Bn in 7th Biggest Daily Drop Since 2008
The Nairobi Securities Exchange recorded its 7th largest single-day loss since 2008 on March 23, 2026, with KSh 96.02Bn in market value wiped out. Safaricom alone shed KSh 54Bn, accounting for over half the decline. The selloff, driven by the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz closure, hit a market that had rallied from KSh 2.94Tn to above KSh 3.5Tn on domestic capital alone, with foreign investors net sellers throughout. The launch of Ziidi Trader in February amplified retail participation but left the market exposed when institutional holders distributed into the rally. Market cap fell to KSh 3.38Tn but remains up 14.69% YTD.Makini, Crawford Schools Owner Posts Record KSh 15Bn Profit in 2025, Doubles Down on Kenya Expansion
Makini Schools and Crawford International owner Advtech posted record FY2025 results. Operating profit crossed R2 Bn (KSh 15.39 Bn) for the first time, up 13.8%. The Education division drove growth with 12.9% revenue increase to R7.87 Bn (KSh 59.39 Bn). In Kenya, Regis Runda Academy was acquired for KSh 1.29 Bn and rebranded as Makini School Runda with enrolments up 17% post-acquisition. Free operating cash flow before capex surged 24.7% to R1.89 Bn (KSh 14.28 Bn).National Bank of Kenya Doubles Profit to KSh 2.39 Bn in First Results Under Access Bank
National Bank of Kenya recorded a profit after tax of KSh 2.39 Bn for the full year ended 31 December 2025, more than doubling the KSh 1.06 Bn posted in 2024. The results, the first filed under Access Bank Plc following its KSh 13.2 Bn acquisition completed in May 2025, were driven by a 13.7% fall in operating expenses, a 37% decline in loan loss provisions, and gross NPLs halving to KSh 15.66 Bn. Earnings per share rose to KSh 0.88 from KSh 0.39. The cost to income ratio improved to 77.5% from 91.7%.Williamson Tea's CEO Transition Marks 10th Listed C-Suite Shift in a Year
Williamson Tea Kenya and Kapchorua Tea Kenya have announced the retirement of Alan Carmichael as Managing Director and CEO effective 31 March 2026, ending an 18-year tenure and a career spanning five decades in the tea industry. His successor, Angus Nyariki Omete, takes over on 1 April 2026. Omete joined the company as a graduate trainee in November 1999 and has spent his entire 26-year career within the group, rising to Group Chief Financial Officer. The transition is the 10th top-level leadership change at an NSE-listed company in the past 12 months.M-Pesa Expands Into Tax Payments in Ethiopia With Amhara Deal
M-Pesa is moving deeper into Ethiopia’s public-sector payments system after signing an agreement that will allow taxpayers in the Amhara region to settle tax obligations
Holiday-Shortened Week Sees All NSE Indices Decline, Turnover Falls 67%
The Nairobi Securities Exchange edged lower in Week 12 of 2026 during a shortened trading week, with market capitalisation declining 0.89% to KSh 3.47 Trillion.Chicken Inn Owner Posts 76% Interim Profit Surge, Kenya Volumes Rise 12%
Simbisa Brands Limited reported 8% US dollar revenue growth in Kenya for the half year ended 31 December 2025, driven by a 12% increase in customer volumes. Delivery orders surged 60% year on year. At the group level, revenue rose 16.1% to USD 182.75 Mn (KSh 23.67 Bn) with profit before tax climbing 76.3% to USD 20.45 Mn (KSh 2.65 Bn). Operating margins expanded to 17.4% on cost discipline and supplier engagement. The board declared an interim dividend of 0.934 US cents per share, up 50.6%, payable 20 March 2026.Co-op Posts Record KSh 29.75 Bn Profit as Funding Costs Decline
Co-operative Bank of Kenya Group reported a record net profit of KSh 29.75 Bn for the full year ended 31 December 2025, up 16.9% from KSh 25.46 Bn. Net interest income surged 22.0% to KSh 62.85 Bn as interest expenses fell 12.8% to KSh 30.29 Bn. Total assets crossed KSh 827 Bn, customer deposits grew 13.4% to KSh 574.17 Bn, and net loans expanded 12.6% to KSh 421.00 Bn. The cost-to-income ratio improved to 56.6%. The board declared a total dividend of KSh 2.50 per share, up 66.7% from KSh 1.50.
